The invention pertains to apparatus for installing a hose fitting into the open end of a flexible hose, and more particularly to such apparatus for allowing rapid installation of the fitting, with minimal difficulty in securing the hose end during the fitting installation process.
Though apparatus of this general type is not new, to accomplish the operation in a time efficient manner for a wide variety of applications there is a need for an easily operable, hand controlled mechanism, which is entirely portable for use in any needed location, e.g. in the engine room of a ship, the wing of an aircraft, or within or on a piece of capital equipment that needs repairing. There is a need for such apparatus with which the operator may both hold the hose end securely in position to receive the hose fitting, and also quickly push the hose fitting into the secured end of the hose, to permanently install the fitting in the hose.
The invention accomplishes the fitting pushing function by means of a hand-operated fitting installation mechanism movable along a normally horizontal metal travel bar by hand working of the mechanism handle, and having a normally vertical pad which makes contact with the outer edge of the fitting after the fitting is positioned for insertion in the hose end, and which is used to push the fitting into the hose. The hose end securing function is facilitated by means of a holding platform mounted above the travel bar on which the mechanism travels, as further detailed below, having an attached locking lever to lock the hose end to the mounting platform during the fitting installation process.
The invention is an apparatus for rapid insertion and permanent installation of hose fittings into the ends of rubber or other flexible hoses, having in the preferred embodiment a hand-controlled, movable, fitting installation mechanism which is movable along a normally horizontal travel bar, said mechanism having a vertical pad as a pusher means used to abut the outer end of the hose fitting so that the mechanism may be used to force the fitting into the end of the hose; a separate though attached hose mounting platform, preferably having a V-shaped trough, for holding the end of the hose into which the fitting is to be inserted and installed, positioned and configured to hold the hose end above and generally parallel to the travel bar holding the fitting installation mechanism; and a hose securing means attached to the top of the hose mounting platform, which means is lever-activated in the preferred embodiment, as a means to secure the hose in place before the fitting installation mechanism is used to force the fitting into the end of the hose.